I love purses and bags... just ask my husband! I've tried over the years to combine my love of paper crafting and scrapbooking with my love of bags with mixed results. The bags would look good, but weren't always sturdy enough for everyday use.
A few months ago, I was in a craft store and saw a woman carrying a gorgeous bag made with a studio photograph of her son. I asked her about it and she said she got it where she had the photos taken. That got me thinking... if I could make a scrapbook layout and scan it, could I get a bag made, too???
Well, the answer is YES! I spent some time online researching different manufacturers. I really liked the bags at www.snaptotes.com and www.costcophotocenter.com . I chose the medium bucket bag.
Next I had to make a layout to use on the purse. I spoke with a customer service rep and asked about the dimensions of the photos and was told that a 4" X 6" photo, or one with the same aspect ratio, in a landscape orientation was what was needed. Now, I don't know about you, but I was not up to making a 4" X 6" scrapbook layout! I did a little math and came up with a better size to work with - 6" tall by 9" wide. This worked great and I didn't lose much of the layout around the edges.
Here is the original layout:
I wanted to showcase this photo of the boys taken on our boat on the 4th of July. The new Pacific Point In Color cardstock was perfect paired with Real Red and Basic Black. I stamped the word "enjoy" in Pacific Poin, Real Red and Basic Black Classic Ink and cut around the letters. For the "o" in "enjoy" I used a circle polka dot stamp and punched it out with a circle punch. I matted the photo in Basic Black and stamped a polka dot background stamp on the Real Red cardstock.
I wanted to add some dimension, so I punched out a tab using the round tab punch and added that to the edge of the photo. Two buttons adhered with mini glue dots and a strip of rub-on stitching complete the embellishement.
I wanted the phrase "every moment" to stand out, so I stamped it in Versamark and embossed with White Embossing Powder.
Once the layout was complete, I scanned it and sent it off... that's it! Here's a closer pic of the finished product:
Because the bag is rounded, you can't see the entire title in the picture. But rest assured, it's there! I am very pleased with the quality of the bag and it is holding up very well. I've even got a few spots on it and been able to wash the surface with a damp cloth.
If you make a bag of your own, be prepared for lots of feedback... so many people have asked me about my bag! I love telling them about my boys, and my love of all things scrapbooking.
I hope you've enjoyed the details of this project. If you have any questions, please drop me a line. I'd also love any feedback, so please leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Happy Stamping,
Wendy